Career Track: Summer 2017

Happy Summer! In this edition of our Career Training USA newsletter, you'll find helpful tips on creating a U.S.-style resume, how one host’s internship experience made him want to give back to the next generation of international interns, and why our current participants think you should sign up too!

Employer Spotlight: Prager Metis CPAs, LLC

Prager Metis' Italian team spends a lof of time together!Photo courtesy of Prager Metis

"I arrived in New York 15 years ago as an intern, and that experience changed my life forever," said Andrea Fantozzi, a partner at international accounting firm Prager Metis. "When you have a dream, realizing it requires a lot of hard work. It is certainly difficult to confront oneself with a different culture and having to function in a foreign language presents all sorts of problems, but the personal rewards can be immense."

Prager Metis has been a trusted J-1 host employer, working with InterExchange since 2014, and has provided excellent internship opportunities to young international students in accounting, business, and marketing. Mr. Fantozzi works not only as a partner in the firm, but also mentors Career Training interns in his capacity as the head of Prager's Italian Team.

Use our articles and resources to create a winning resume!Photo courtesy of Pexels

Are you ready to intern in the U.S.? The first step to making your dream a reality is creating a winning U.S.-style resume and supporting documents. American employers expect a one-page resume that includes your education and work experience in chronological order, as well as a cover letter that details why you're an ideal candidate for an internship. Use our tips, sample resume, and template to get started!

LinkedIn has become an essential part of searching for internships and networking, so once you've got a great resume, you can use that same template to create a LinkedIn profile and begin reaching out to employers. Once you’ve found your perfect internship, you can apply for sponsorship with InterExchange by signing up on our website.

We get wonderful feedback from our participants as they finish their internships and training programs! Here are some of the reasons they tell us other people should take advantage of this opportunity.

“It's been great to be immersed in a different culture, practice language skills as well as to grow professionally in a city like New York. I feel more powerful and confident than ever and I think this experience has significantly boosted my career prospects.” Maria Maione from Italy

“I had such an amazing experience and great time in the U.S.- both traveling and working, and met the most amazing people.” Sarah Pereira from New Zealand

“The internship program from InterExchange is one of the best ways to gain work experience at the U.S. but at the same time face a different culture experience. I always had the InterExchange support during my program, especially from my advisor, Kristen Gartside.” Karine Pimenta Teixeira from Brazil

InterExchange participants tour Boudin Bakery in San Francisco

Interns in San Francisco enjoyed meeting and getting to know each other!Photo courtesy of Liz Cummings

This spring, InterExchange hosted an event at the Boudin Bakery in San Francisco for InterExchange and other J-1 participants. We got a great introduction to sourdough bread - including an introduction to the “mother dough” - and its place in San Francisco history. After we saw how bread was made on the bakery floor, participants headed to Jack’s Cannery Bar to swap stories about their programs and travels in the U.S. over drinks and snacks.

Applications for Visa Sponsorship for 2017 Programs

We are currently accepting applications for J-1 Visa sponsorship for all 2017 programs. Make your resume stand out with an internship or training program in the U.S.! Ready to get started? Apply now!

ESN Annual General Meeting

We were lucky enough to be invited to the ESN Annual General Meeting in Berlin this year and we really enjoyed meeting with students studying all over Europe. It was fun to hear about their experiences abroad and watch as friends and former classmates reunited with each other in Germany!

InterExchange is a nonprofit organization with more than 40 years of experience dedicated to promoting cultural awareness through a wide range of affordable and exciting work & travel, professional training, internship, au pair, camp, language learning, and volunteer programs within the U.S. and abroad. InterExchange is designated by the U.S. Department of State to sponsor the J-1 Visa for people from around the world who would like to engage in cultural exchange by visiting the U.S. for a defined period of time. Our Career Training USA program helps international students and young professionals enjoy internships and training programs across the USA.

We help international visitors to best take advantage of the cultural opportunities offered by their local host communities in the U.S. Similarly, we encourage U.S. host employers to promote cultural learning by introducing international visitors to uniquely American values, customs, history, and activities while simultaneously learning about the countries and cultures of visiting participants. Strengthening these relationships makes achieving the goals of mutual cultural exchange possible and allows us to build a global community - one person at a time.

Liz got the travel bug as a teenager when she volunteered in Mexico. After extensive travel, interning and studying abroad, she is excited to help others fulfill their dreams of experiencing another culture through InterExchange’s Career Training USA program.